Method of and means for testing and cleaning wells



F. c. GAULT 1,888,315 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TESTING AND CLEANING WELLS I Nov, 22, 1932.

Filed March 1, 1932 F. C. GAULT,

Patented Nov. 22, 1932.

UNITED STATES,

FRANK C. GAUIII, OF LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA.

METHOD Oil? MEANS FOR TESTING AND CLEANING WELLS Application filed larch 1, 1932. Serial No. 596,102.

This invention relates to a method of and means for testing and cleaning wells, and it i has for its object to provide simple and efficient means through which the operator may determine the efiective area of the screen actually delivering fluid to the well; may clean and open clogged and ineffective por tions of the, well screen; may determine the capacity of the well and the capacities of the various strata delivering fluid to the well, and may locate and isolate defective screen areas.

The figure shown in the accompanying drawing is a more or less diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view, wherein designates the flow line, 6 the well casing, and 7 the usual screen at the lower end of the well casing. The flow line pipe discharges through a valve 9 and pipe 10 to any suitable liquid measuring structure.

An air compressor 11 provides means for supplying air under pressure to an air line 12 which extends downwardly through the flow line 5. The pipe constituting the flow line carries a metal guide 13 upon its lower end, and also carries an upper piston or plug 14, and a lower piston or plug 15 which comprise conventional packing rings, indicated at 16, and which are adapted to make fluid tight contact with the wall of the screen 7 At the point between the pistons 14 and 15, the pipe 5 is provided with a plurality of openings 17. If air be discharged through pipe 12, and valve 9 be open, pumping will start, and if a record he kept of the delivery through pipe 10, as the pistons are raised and lowered to varying positions along the screen, by the bodily raising and lowering of the pipe 5, such record will disclose the available flow at the different elevations. By this means, clogged screen areas may be located, and the available supply from difierent strata may be determined.

The apparatus is also useful for cleaning clogged screen areas for if the valve 9 be closed, the air may be forced out of the openings 17 and outwardly through the screen to clear the same. This introduction of pres sure within a well screen, for the purpose of cleaning the same, is not efiective unless the clogged areas may be more or less isolated because it is apparent that if air were admitted to the interior of a screen havin say one-quarter of its area clogged and t reequarters of its area open, the air would pass through the open portion of the screen and would not clean the clogged portion. It is only when the available air pressure is confined to the clogged portion of the screen that effective results are had.

While I have describedthe cleaning of the clogged portions of the screen by an pressure, it is to be understood that other fluids may be used for this purpose, if desired, and in fact, water may be used.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement set forth, but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with 'a well and its screen, of a flow line, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said flow line, pistons carried by said flow line, an air supply line in the flow line, said flow line having open ings formed therethrough at a point between said pistons, a discharge line leading from the flow line, and a valve in said discharge line to confine the air in the flow line.

2. The combination with a well and its screen, of a flow line casing having a plurality of openings formed therethrough, pistons 5 carried by said flow line above and below said openings, said pistons being adapted to make substantially fluid tight connection with the screen, an air supply line leading downwardly in the flow line but terminatso ing at a point above said openings, and means for preventing the passage of theair from the flow line, said flow line, pistons and air line being bodily adjustable vertically of the screen to thereby subject successive areas of the screen to the action of the device with out requiring disconnection of the air line or flow line.

3. The combination with a well, well cas ing and screen, of a flow line casing bodily 1 adjustable vertically with respect to the screen, said flow line casing having an outlet therein adjacent its lower portion, pistons carried by said flow line casing above and 5 below said outlet, said gistons being adapted to make substantially uid tight connection with the screen, an air supply line leading downwardly in the flow line, said air su ply line being bodily adjustable vertically a ong with the flow line casing, bodily vertical adjustment of the flow line casing, and air supply line together, subjecting successively different areas of the screen to the action of the device without requiring disconnection of the air line or flow line, and means for preventing flow through the flow line, at a point beyond the entry of the air supply line thereinto so that air from the air supply line ma be forced out through said screenor sai air may be utilized to establish flow through the flow line casing when the flow therethrough is again permitted.

In testimony whereof I ailix my si ature.

26 FRANK G. GA T. 

